Beautiful Memory
by cinniebug23
Summary: What happens when, Marie, Bella's granddaughter recognizes somebody she saw in her grandma's Class photo from high school? The startling thing is.. He looks exactly the same.
1. Chapter 1

I stood in the sheeting rain, and watched the coal black casket lower into the muddy ground.

The preacher began to pray and the crowd that was my family were surrounding the grave that was to be my grandmother's final resting place. They're sobs filled the air and it was such a mournful sound I felt like I would go insane if I had to listen to it for a single second longer.

My grandma was my best friend, we were so much alike my family sometimes joked that I was her re-incarnation. We had near identical features, It was hard to tell the difference between pictures of her when she was my age and pictures of me now. Our personalities didn't seem to differ much either. I loved her like a mother, and she pretty much _had_ been my mother. Since my mom and grandfather had died in a car accident with a drunk driver when I was four.

We also shared names. My name was Marie Hope Johnson. And my grandmother Isabella Marie Johnson had just given up life on September 15th. Two days after her birthday. She had turned eighty-one. I was in the hospital room with her when the last breath left her body. Before she had past away, she was in a coma like state. And it was only me and her in the room. My family were all in the hospital cafeteria grabbing dinner at the time. As I sat there with her, the beep of her heart monitor filling the room. It was an obnoxious sound but it filled me with hope. As long as that beep filled the room she was fighting for her life. She started mumbling in her sleep.

"Edward, please. Don't go. I love you... Let me come with you.. _Please._" It was such a hollow muffled whisper I wondered if I heard right. The way she said it... Her voice was filled with such grief. I felt my heart breaking just hearing it. Who was Edward? _"_Grandma? Im here,_ I love you."_

"He left me." She whispered. "He left me today. My birthday, he left me because of my birthday."

That was when I knew she was having a silly dream. _At least she remembers her birthday_ I thought. She tossed and mumbled for a while longer. Her breathing became more labored. I started to worry. I got up to go tell a nurse when she started to stir some more.

"Edward." She sighed. And with that, her breathing stopped altogether. _"NO!" _I croaked.

Her heart monitor sounding in one final. Drawn out beep. Then I heard the sound that will haunt me forever. Silence. No more beep, no more shallow breaths coming from her body. No more muffled words said in her sleep. Her fight for life was over.

I was drawn out of my vivid, living nightmare when my Dad placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him and noticed that there was hardly anyone left. They had all gone to the church building for dinner. He had tears streaking his face and he looked so tired and haggard.

"Dad, do we have to stay? I just want to go home." he looked at me, his expression unreadable. "You can go home Mar, I have to stay though. It would be rude of me to leave."

I knew he would be fine, but I couldn't bring myself to leave him. So I told him I would stay. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it lightly. Attempting to smile. "Thanks sweetie." He said, as he opened the car door for me and closed my umbrella.

We pulled up to the building, the smell of food wafting out from the open door. Once inside I came face to face with a picture of my grandma. She was twenty- seven in the picture. Her long brown hair falling in soft waves across her shoulder. Her brown eyes were warm and her full lips were slightly turned up at the corners. The expression on her face looked as though she knew a thousand secrets. I couldn't stand to look at that picture anymore. I needed air.

I ran, and burst through the double doors. I collided with what felt like a wall, but the soft feeling of fabric against my skin told me other wise. "Sorry" I sniffled to whoever it was, I tried to keep walking but my vision was clouded with tears and I was so wracked with grief I stumbled and felt the air whooshing past me. I knew I was going to come in contact with the asphalt so I instinctively put my arms up to shield my face. But instead of hitting the ground I felt arms and I was pulled back on my feet. The arms were instantly gone, and I turned around to tell my rescuer thank you. But when I turned around all I saw was a distinctly male back walking away from me. "Thanks." I mumbled under my breath, even though I knew he wouldn't hear me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Most Characters in this fan-fiction belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copy right infringement intended!**

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I sat in my newly purchased apartment. It was small, one bedroom, one bath, a washer and dryer hidden behind a sliding wooden panel, a small kitchenette and dining area, along with a small family room that had the rare luxury of a small stone fireplace. It was simple and clean and only a couple of blocks from the school. I was able to purchase it with the money my grandma had left me in her will.

"Alright sweetheart, that's everything" He huffed as he put the last box of my belongings on the dinning room table. I was unpacking the drinking glasses. I turned as he walked in and started to help me unpack the boxes labeled kitchen "Thanks dad. You can get going. I know you have to get back to work."

"Okay, you'll be alright?" He looked at me imploringly. "Dad, Go! Im fine."

"Ok. Call when you get a chance."

I smiled up at him. Kissed him on the cheek, and we said our goodbyes.

I know I wasn't fooling anybody.

After Gram died, nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

Food was no longer appealing, Tv, music, the outside world held no interest.

My aunt came and stayed with me everyday in the beginning. Begging me to get out. 'It's the summer of your senior year!' she would exclaim. 'This is the only time you have when your completely free! You can be carefree before you go off to collage and get swamped with studies. You're an adult now. You have free reign!'

That's what caused me to snap. 'Carefree?! To hell with that! I can never be carefree! My best friend is dead! Grandma is gone! I didn't even get to say goodbye!'

She just stared at me her mouth hanging slack. I broke down into hysterics for the first time since Bella's heart stopped beating... Since the silence haunted my every thought.

My aunt just sat there looking at me like I had grown a second head. 'What?!' I snapped at her. She yelped jumping like somebody had stung her.

'Im sorry sweetie. I just.. I didn't expect you to go off like that.'

She walked around to my side of the bed and started rubbing my back in small circular motions.

'Its alright Carlie. I just have no idea to deal with anything now that she's gone. She always knew what to do.'

I sobbed hopelessly into her shirt. 'Shhh.. Its ok. I know hun. I understand.'

I looked up at my aunt knowing how much she loved my grandma too. I suddenly felt awful for talking to her like she didn't understand. She knew better than I did what it was like to lose somebody you loved. She lost her sister-in-law, my mom. They were best friends which was how my parents met. She lost her dad the same night. Now both her parents were gone. A new set of sobs took over my body as I realized what an idiot I was being. My grandma would be upset at how I was handling this. I couldn't let go of my life just because it was her time to let go. I had to live with vigor. Paying respect to my grandma that way.

'Carlie, please forgive me. I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I know this is hard for you too.'

She gave me a sympathetic look. 'There's nothing to forgive Hopey.' She always used my middle name as a term of endearment. 'I shouldn't have told you to be carefree. I know that's not possible right now. Its not possible for the strongest of us. And just because your young. Well.. That's no exception.' I knew she had just told me to be carefree to snap me out of my coma. 'Its alright Auntie.' She smiled, got up, and smoothed out her skirt.

After I had come to my senses. I focused all my attention on preparing for collage. I poured through adds trying to find an affordable, apartment close to Dartmouth. Which really was no easy task. I couldn't afford any of the decent ones.

One day I was feeling really discouraged about the whole thing. I had found the perfect one. But it was to expensive and my price range was beyond the stretching point.

I was taking my frustration out on my mattress, when I heard a soft knock on my door. "Come in!" I yelled.

The door opened and my dad walked into my room carrying a flat thin box. He was looking at the ground with a sad expression. "What is it dad?" I asked. "Well honey. I know your having trouble finding an apartment..."

He came over and sat at the end of my bed, then sat the box down beside him. "I was going to wait to give this to you. I wasn't sure how you would feel about it, and I didn't want to stress you anymore than you already are. But I think its necessary now."

I just sat and looked at him. He seemed to be waiting for me to give him the signal to continue, so I just nodded to let him know I was paying attention. He reached down and opened the box. Inside was a folder stuffed with papers. He shuffled through the papers for a while, picking out a packet of thick parchment papers. He handed them to me.

I skimmed them for a moment and spotted 'Isabella Marie Johnson/Swan' my breath hitched in my throat and I felt tears pooling, threatening to spill.

"Its her will." He murmured softly.

I flipped through the paper work. There were several bank statements.

"Marie, when she was eighteen a bank account was set up with her name on it..."

He hesitated fiddling with the corner of my bed spread. " It had five million dollars in it."

My eyes widened with shock. _Five Million_! How could she get that much at eighteen?

"I didn't know about the bank account until five years ago, when she wrote up her will." He paused, taking in a deep breath. "She would never tell me how the money got there. But the money had never been touched. It just sat collecting interest all her life. She gave specific instructions on her will... Marie honey, she wanted the money to go to her grandchildren. Because you're her only grandchild. That means its all yours. She gave me this house. And Auntie inherited the rest of her money along with some keep sakes auntie asked for. I know its hard for you to take this all in. And I know it's a lot of money. But I know you will use it wisely. She would want you to buy your apartment with this money Mar."

At this point the tears were uncontrollable. Me and my father discussed it for hours that night. He didn't know anymore about the money than what he told me. I mean, how would an eighteen year old get that amount of money? Why didn't she use it?

I finally gave in and decided to buy the apartment I wanted with the money my grandma left me. I know she would want me to use it that way. I was going to Dartmouth in the fall. She had been so proud of me when I got my acceptance letter...

....

I had picked up the mail for the second time that day. Bothering the lady at the post office. Practically begging her to check if there was any mail that didn't get put into our box. She shoot me an annoyed look, huffed and shuffled off to check. She came back with a slightly surprised look on her face and a couple of envelopes in her hand. When I saw the 'Dart' in Dartmouth on the return address of one of the letters, I nearly jumped over the counter to yank them out of her hand. She laid them on the counter and asked if I needed anything else. I mumbled that I didn't, thanked her, and grabbed the I turned around in a haste to get home I nearly fell flat on my face. The man behind me chuckled and I felt my face blush in embarrassment.

I got in my car, tempted to rip the package open. But decided to wait until I got to the house. My gram would be furious if I didn't wait to open it with her. I put the car in reverse and burned rubber to get out of there. Once I was home I bounded up the front porch, nearly tripping again. Pulled the screen out of my way and went running through the house like a mad woman.

My grandma came running from the kitchen holding a spoon dripping with some type of sauce. "Mar! What is it?.. Are you ok?.. Oh Lord!.. What happened!?"

"Gram!" I yelled in excitement. "I got the letter from Dartmouth!" Her face instantly relaxed and her shoulders, which had been tense with worry also relaxed. A huge smile spread over her face as she ushered me into the kitchen. I sat at the bar stool and pulled the letter out from my back pocket. She handed me a knife to tear it open. I was shaking so bad I nearly sliced my hand open. But once I finally got the envelope open, I pulled out the thick wad of papers skimmed the text, praying to God I got in. I found the answer I had been waiting for so long and nearly fell out of my chair. "Well?!" She yelled. I handed her the paper. She looked at it like it might bite her before finally taking it from my hand. "Oh my God." She whispered. And then all at once she was dancing around the kitchen, the spoon she was still holding flinging sauce all over the kitchen cabinets.

Her dance finally broke me out of my stupor and my eyes started to well up with tears. She looked over at me. Probably wondering why I wasn't dancing with her, or reacting to the sauce she had gotten on my forehead. "Oh honey!" She said. "What's the matter? You just got accepted into the best school in Washington!"

"I know" I whined like a child. "But I just realized, Im going to me hours away from you grandma. What will I do when I need to talk to someone? What will I do when Im sad, or lonely, or hungry?"

"Oh honey, that's what phones and microwaves are for! Besides, you knew you had to leave the nest sooner or later. What's really the matter?"

She knew me to well..

I sighed and this time I let my tears fall. I told her the real reason for my sudden mood change.

"I just wish mom was here."

I whispered it so low I wondered if she even heard me. She sighed, walked over to where I was sitting, and pulled me into the circle of her arms. I laid my head on her heart and listened to it beat. Keeping time with it.

"She is here baby. She's always with you. Im sure she is just dancing around up there bragging to everybody how smart her little girl is."

The thought made me smile. And I knew that she would be thrilled to see me off to collage, especially Dartmouth.

"Your right gram. Im sorry"

"Oh, Mar. Don't be sorry. Be proud of yourself. Im proud of you. And no matter what you do. I will always will be proud."

.....

As I unpacked my things, memories of grandma hit me with a powerful force. It seemed like everything I owned had a connection to my grandma. Once the kitchen was unpacked, I moved to the family room.

That was hard, I had a box of pictures in frames I picked out to put on the fireplace.

Most pictures had my grandma in them, One of them was of grandma, grandpa, and me. I was a toddler in the picture and grandma and grandpa were both looking down at me, loving expressions on they're face's.

There was one of her and me sitting at the beach with big floppy sun hats on, I was twelve in the picture and my grandma really looked like she could be my mom. She had such life in her eyes, her skin was creamy. Her cheeks flushed. We had goofy grins plastered on our faces, and you could see the sand dunes behind us.

There was a picture of me and my dad at my graduation. My grandma was behind the camera taking the picture.

There was another one of my mom the day I was born, she was holding a little bundle (me) and she was beautiful. Even after giving birth. She had her dads blond hair and blue eyes. But Bella's skin.

The last one I pulled out of the box was of just my grandma. It was the same picture that had caused my panic attack at the funeral. She looked so beautiful in that picture. It was hard to believe people saw any resemblance between me and her. I may have inherited most of her features. But her beauty.. That was hers to keep.

By the time the sun was setting I had most of the apartment unpacked.

There was still a stack of boxes I was avoiding. And those were the boxes of possessions my grandma had put on her will for me to have. I carried them to my closet and stacked them carefully, in case there was anything breakable.

I couldn't bring myself to go through those yet. I needed more time.

I grabbed a towel from the small linen closet and made my way to the bathroom. Once the shower had eased my aching muscles from all the heavy lifting that day I jumped out, threw on some sweats and a T shirt, then collapsed in a heap on my bed.

I was dreaming that I was unpacking my things into my apartment..

When I turned around my grandma was behind me, humming happily and helping me unpack. I gasped when I saw her. She looked up at me and a beautiful smile lit up her face. She picked up the box and walked into my bedroom. I followed her, but when I walked into my room she was gone. Her humming faded.

And all that was left was silence.


	3. Chapter 3

**Edwards POV**

I stood at the edge of the forest watching the funeral from afar. Her family and friends surrounded the casket as it lowered into the earth. They're faces all masks of grief and pain.

I watched as my only love was put to rest. She was gone. Never to be seen again. Never to blush, or laugh, or cry, or speak. If I could have jumped in the grave and died with her I would have.

I felt a small hand on my shoulder and looked down to see Alice sobbing silently with unshed tears there in her eyes. _Im so sorry Edward. _She thought.

My Bella. I had left her sixty-three years ago. I had lived without my very soul for sixty-three years.

I watched as people started to drift away from the grave sight. They're black umbrella's closing as the got in they're cars. There were only two people left standing in the rain. One a male, looking to be in his early forties. The other a young woman, I could tell she had a slight build, but I couldn't make out any more than that. Her back was facing me. Her umbrella shielding the back of her head. They too, finally left. Once they drove away, I listened to make sure there was nobody surrounding the area. The coast was clear, so I made my way over to my Bella.

The smell that hit me strongest was the freshly dug soil. But beneath that.. I could smell it. Freesia's. The smell of her cold lifeless blood, six feet under brought me to new heights of agony.

I knelt next to her grave marker, which read 'Isabella Marie Johnson, Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Wife, and Teacher. She will be missed'

"Bella.." I whispered to the cold ground. "These words are to late, but love.. I need you to know, I love you. I always will. I never stopped loving you. Im so sorry." With that I placed a small bouquet of Freesia's on her grave.

_Edward lets go. _Alice thought.

I nodded my head and turned to leave. I stopped mid step knowing there was one more thing I wanted to do. "Alice, before we leave. I just want to go look at her family. I want to see her children. _Please._" She nodded and we took of in the direction the cars had gone. Once outside the building I almost dropped in shock of what I saw.

A table of pictures were set up, all of bella. Bella at the beach. Bella getting married. Bella holding a newborn baby.

There was one picture I was mesmerized by. A beautiful professional picture of Bella looking to be in her twenties. She had a knowing smile on her face. Her brown eyes twinkled with life.

I was so taken by the picture I didn't even notice the young girl standing next to it. The sound of her hyperventilating filled the small foyer of the church building. She turned to walk out of the building not even looking up through the glass wall to notice I was standing there. I tensed about to turn and flee when I saw her face.

It was Bella. She was alive! She looked even more beautiful than I remembered.

But it had been sixty-three years, yet here she stood looking eighteen again!

Oh Edward you fool! That's not Bella.. Its bella's_ granddaughter. _Sadness washed over me with such force I felt like I would crumble. How ridiculous to mistake her as bella. Though she did look so much like bella.

I would have turned to leave but I just couldn't. I couldn't leave this dark haired brown eyed beauty, the very re-incarnation of my bella.

Just in that moment she smashed into me her struggled sobs coming out in a large 'whoosh' "Sorry" She sniffled. Her voice, so small and meek.

She continued to walk without looking up. I was frozen in my path. The aftershock of her warm touch tingling on my skin. I watched her stumble away. Wondering where she was going.

Her feet got tangled and she started to fall towards the ground. She put her arms across her face in anticipation to the smack of the asphalt.

I panicked. I couldn't stand to see her fall and possibly injure herself. I grabbed a hold of her without thinking. I pulled her back onto her feet, wanting to hold her for hours. But I had to go. I had already interfered enough. I released her immediately. Turned on my heel and walked at a faster than human pace to get out of there.

All the way home I thought about bella's granddaughter and the farther away from her I got, the worse my heart ached with loss.


End file.
